Know your Indian Spices.
When I moved to Bulgaria, my biggest challenge was where do I find my spices? Let me clarify something right at the beginning, Spices are not equal to chilies or heat. A masala is a concoction of different herbs and spices which give an unique flavor to any dish you are cooking. За да прочетете статията на български, можете да инсталирате плъгин Google Преводач от тук.
How do Indians use their Spices?
- Depending on the complexity of the dish, Indians use either a ready mix of different spices or individual spices. It all boils down to what flavors one is trying to accentuate.
- Different regions have their own mixes which have different spices in a known proportion ground down to a fine powder. The most common one you would know is Garam Masala.
- There is a version where the spices are not ground to fine powder but used in their original form. This is called Khada masala. This one is usually used in meat preparations.
Here are some basic spices we use while cooking and their flavor profiles.
Cumin (Jeera)
Almost everyone of us has encountered cumin once while cooking, even here in Bulgaria. When sauteed in warm oil it gives a warm, earthy, nutty flavor to the dish.
Turmeric powder (Haldi)
A bright yellow spice which is known for its healing properties. It gives a woody, peppery flavor to your dishes along with a nice warm golden yellow color. It’s known for its anti-inflammatory properties and when sick a warm cup of milk with a little turmeric goes a long way in boosting your immunity.
Black Mustard seeds ( Rai)
These small black round balls are a must in any dish that has “tadka”. You heat oil in a small pan and add dried whole or crushed spices to release and infuse flavors in the oil. The best way to release their flavors is to drop them in hot oil and wait for them to crack open.
Red chili powder
I am aware that a lot of non-Indians are a bit scared of this one. 🙂 usually made from Kashmiri chilies it gives a natural red color to the dishes with a light spicy kick and smoky flavor. In reality it is not something that will make your ears smoke. At times it is also used as a whole chili rather than powder. If you get the ground variety be mindful of the heat if it is not made from the Kashmiri variety.
Ground coriander (Dhania) seeds
In Indian cooking the lightly roasted and ground( or whole) coriander seeds are used to add an earthy flavor to most of the dishes. If you visit any part of India, this is the one spice which you will always find in all kitchens. The green leaves are used to add fresh slightly tart and citrusy flavor to the dishes.
Bay leaves
Across India and Europe there are two varieties that are used. The Indian Bay leaves or Tej patta have a different flavor profile as compared to the Laurel bay leaves. The Indian ones have mild cinnamon and clove flavors. While the European counterpart has a slightly minty profile reminiscent of spearmint and menthol.
Saffron
Who knew that the stigma and style of a flower would be one of the worlds most sought after and highly priced spices. It is a quintessential element of some of the most flavorful Indian desserts and savory meat dishes. Its unique blend of sweet, floral earthy flavors are totally unmistakable.
Garam Masala
Garam – hot, Masala – mix or blend. Like the name says it is a mix of different spices ground together to create a unique flavor. Each region and community boasts of their own version and are willing to swear by the aroma and taste it adds to the dish. Some mixes have as many as 25 different spices while the simple ones have about 5 to 6. My family has different versions for vegetables, meat and seafood preparations.
So while we are at it, here is a recipe for a really simple version, the ingredients for which could be available anywhere across the globe.
Simple Garam Masala recipe
2 Tablespoons ground cumin powder.
1 teaspoon ground cloves.
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
3 teaspoons ground cardamom.
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon.
3 teaspoons ground coriander.
3 teaspoons ground black pepper
Mix all the ingredients well and store in an airtight container. The mix should make up about 24 servings while cooking, give or take depending on the quantity you cook. This is an ideal mix for curries along with a healthy mix of other basic ingredients like garlic, ginger and onion. It is ideal to add garam masala towards the end of the cooking process. The reason behind this is the fact that it works on an aromatic level.
The list of Indian Spices can go on and on but I have listed a few which are available globally and can be used by anyone to create the right blend of flavors.
Would you be interested in reading about any Indian dishes and how to cook them?
